Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-09-15
MATHER
At the Opera House This Week-Her We
d,rful Stage Fall.

At the Opera House This Week-Her Won
derful Stage Fall.
Reserved seats were put on sale at Bau
mer's yesterday morning, for the engage
ment of Margaret Mather, the talented &C
tress. who will make her first appearance
before a Wheeling audience on Friday ant
Saturday evenings and Saturday matinee
Leah, the Forsaken," Romeo and IN
liet" and 1.-THE Honeymoon Will he pre-
sented at the respective performances in tn,
order named, and full houses should gree
each production. Miss Mather is support
ed by Mines Leyick, Frederick Spauldinl
and the entire Union Square Theatre Com
pany. Seats are going off well and thos'
wishing to secure desirable ones should no
delay having them checked OFF. OF Mis-
Mather's fall in Romeo and Juliet" tn,
st. Louis Post Dispatch says:
When Sara Bernhardt originated the mod
ern stage fall she never dreamed of Mis-
Mather's attainment in the same dlrec
ton.
This is a wrinkle in stage acrobatic'
which breaks the record and stands among
stage falls rs the feat of going over Niagars
to padding in a bath tub.
Bernhardt Topped on a sofa and caromeC
to the floor with the suppleness and grace
of q billiard cue. She went at it with
tight muscles aud got her dull thud AND
applause. Davenport followed Bernhardt's
fed with one thud.
Modieska in her Siberian bloodhound
melo-drama, wears out n couch and dents
the floor with her bumps. Still she gets
only one thump, and the element of com,
bination is lacking.
Mather goes beyond them all. She
takes a flight of steps TO her falling and
runs a gauntlet Of fearful risks. 1t doesn't
require any properties, only n friendly
c~urt4in, some steps, and a stopping place.
1t saves the stage sofas, but Is hard on
Mather, the curtain, the steps and the
floor.
After drinking the potion, she feels the
effect OF the drug and wavers around in an
uncertain way. Then she suddenly re-
members that Romeo" had recently been
at the balcony wipdaw, anu, in a dazed
manner, staggers up the steps. The audi
ence thinks this is aqueer thing TO attempt
in her condition, but trusts to luck 10
bring her out alive. They 60 in blind and
wait with breathless interest. One can
hear a pin drop in the house. The actress
leans On the easement, gives a Sigh or two
for "Romeo, " breathes mis- palle, and-well,
description stops at this point aud wabbles
aimlessly for words. She makes q wild
clutch at the curtain, fails TO reach, swings
her arms, her 1.-THE form outlined in the
clinging draperies ~totters, then lurches TO
one side, brings IN and swings around in a
FRANTIC search for something substantial.
Nothing Is found and it gives up the strug-
gle with a collapse, which rakes the cur
tin, thumps the first steps "shassays' to
the next, bounces to another, flips over and
grazes the last and strikes the floor with a
rotary motion which se9js her whirling
over the stage ana rounds her up limp and
tousled with her dress tangled and twisted
around her plump limbs and outstretched
body.
1t is q fall with the genius Of daring In
it, and is the reigning sensation Of the ac-
robatic drama.
To say tie audience is surprised only
hints at the p~ervading emotion. The ''ah"
that breaks from the threats OF the specta-
tors is chock full of hreathleaa relief. Art
goes out IN tue wing and hides his head at
its own weakness and the victory of gym.
nastics. There is nothing in the scenery or
the acting that approaches the interest of
this drop. 1t knocks out the doctrine of
chances in one frantic cyclone Of trembling
femininity.